Chestnut Tree House, the only children’s hospice in Sussex, has opened up registration for its forthcoming fundraiser.

Already, more than half the places have been snapped up for the Chestnut Challenge of 2019 to the Inca Trail.

Laura Morrow, Sue Savage, Andy Preston, Alex and Sarah Corcoran and Julie Hall have signed up for the Inca Trail Challenge for Chestnut Tree Hospice SUS-180213-134710001

Chestnut Tree House held the launch to recruit more intrepid explorers to sign up for the experience of a lifetime and trek the Inca Trail in Peru, journeying through the Sun Gate to the world famous lost city of Machu Picchu.

The trek will take place November 1-10 2019 and among those who have signed up is TV celebrity and patron of Chestnut Tree House, Jodie Kidd.

At the launch, trekkers who took part in last year’s Chestnut Challenge to Cambodia met with people who have signed up for the 2019 trek.

The event was held at the Llama Park at Forest Row recently alongside the park’s fabulous llamas, which are synonymous with Peruvian culture.

After the success of fundraising treks to China in 2015 and Cambodia in 2017 which raised a staggering £133,477 – equating to 19 days of care, Chestnut Tree House has once again teamed up with Global Adventure Challenges for their third expedition.

The Inca Trail in Peru is one of the top 10 trekking trails in the world – covering 52km in just 10 days and encompassing sub-tropical vegetation, cloud forest, snowcapped peaks and three high mountain passes – the highest at 4,200m.

The trekking will be tough, but this life-changing experience will be hard to surpass.

Best of all, participants will be fundraising to pay for all Chestnut Tree House’s care services, both at the hospice and in families’ own homes, for the entire duration of the trip.

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Chestnut Tree House patron Jodie Kidd said, “I’m delighted to be working with Chestnut Tree House during their 15th birthday year, and feel honoured to be a patron. Having grown up locally, I’ve been aware of the charity for many years, and there is no doubt that Chestnut Tree House makes a real difference to local life-limited children and their families.

“It is so important to support local charities such as Chestnut Tree House, and challenges like this help so much – both in terms of increasing awareness and raising vital funds. The charity needs to raise a massive £6,850 every day to cover all the specialist care services offered at the hospice and out in the community, and the Inca Trail Challenge aims to cover these costs for the duration of the 10-day trip.”

For information and a brochure on signing up for the mystical Inca trek visit www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/inca